News

Barcelona, 11 April 2025 — Over 80 project promoters, partners, beneficiaries, entrepreneurs, and donors from 11 UfM countries gathered today in Barcelona to review the state-of-play and the progress of the UfM Grant Schemes, which have provided over €3 million in funding to support employment, green jobs, and entrepreneurship among youth and women in the region. Organised by the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) in partnership with the German Development Cooperation, and supported by the European Commission (DG EMP), the UfM Grant Schemes’ Stakeholders Dialogue showcased success stories, best practices and explored future opportunities for scaling up regional cooperation through… read more

10 April 2025, Barcelona – For the second consecutive year, development actors from across the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) gathered in Barcelona for the Annual Meeting of UfM Development Actors to strengthen their collective response to regional challenges through enhanced cooperation. Opening the meeting, UfM Secretary General Nasser Kamel highlighted the urgency of delivering tangible benefits for the region’s people, reaffirming that “cooperation and coordination remain as the only path” to achieving shared ambitions. Hosted at the UfM Secretariat, UfM development actors  agreed on mapping the expertise and capacities available across the region that can be leveraged for more… read more

Barcelona, 9 April 2025 — The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) today convened its National Focal Points Meeting on Higher Education at its headquarters in Barcelona, bringing together representatives from over 20 UfM Member States and all major regional higher-education stakeholders. The meeting marked a decisive moment in the path toward building a stronger and more coordinated Euro-Mediterranean higher education space. The meeting was opened by UfM Secretary General Nasser Kamel, who highlighted the transformative power of education and the need to match political rhetoric with concrete action. “Higher education is one of the most strategic investments we can make… read more

7 April 2025. The Women in AI Awards is an initiative aimed at celebrating and empowering women-led AI projects. Organized by the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) in partnership with allWomen and supported by the German Agency for International Development Cooperation (GIZ), the awards seek to elevate the visibility and impact of women innovators shaping the future of Artificial Intelligence (AI). By recognizing groundbreaking projects that tackle pressing challenges and drive innovation, the initiative contributes to a more inclusive and diverse AI ecosystem—one where ideas thrive, collaboration strengthens, and opportunities multiply. Despite the growing contributions of women in AI, they… read more

4 April 2025, Granada. Union for the Mediterranean Secretary General Nasser Kamel reiterated the need for strengthened Euro-Mediterranean cooperation at the Forum on the Future of the Mediterranean in the Andalusian city of Granada. Organised by the Spanish Presidency of the Parliamentary Assembly of the UfM, the two-day event brought together speakers, deputy speakers and representatives of the parliaments of the organisation’s 43 Member States as well as the European Parliament and organisations such as NATO, OSCE, IPU or the Council of Europe. With opening speeches by Spain’s HM King Felipe VI and Speaker of the Congress of Deputies Francina… read more

12 March 2025, Tirana – The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and the Anna Lindh Foundation (ALF), co-leaders of the Mediterranean Capitals of Culture and Dialogue , joined the Municipality of Tirana to celebrate the official Opening Ceremony of Tirana as Mediterranean Capital of Culture and Dialogue 2025. The Mediterranean Capitals initiative highlights the Mediterranean’s cultural richness and promotes mutual understanding through a yearlong programme of cultural and educational events. Each edition designates two cities—one from each shore of the Mediterranean—to host the initiative, with Tirana and Alexandria leading the inaugural year. The grand opening on 12 March 2025 held… read more

The Euro-Mediterranean region’s few remaining glaciers have retreated significantly in recent years, be it in the Pyrenees, Alps, Apennines, or Balkan peninsula. Their existence is precarious as many could disappear completely in the coming decades. Melting glaciers on our warming planet are linked to flooding, landslides, sea level rise and droughts. Glaciers are key to healthy ecosystems, but uncertain water flows from rapidly melting ice can negatively impact people and the environment. In a region plagued with water scarcity and quality issues and where the population classified as water poor is expected to increase to more than 250 million by… read more

24 March 2025 – The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), in strategic partnership with the Union of Arab Banks (UAB), announces the launch of “InspireHer: Transforming Financial Access and Entrepreneurship in the MENA Region”, an initiative aimed at dismantling long-standing barriers to financial inclusion faced by women across nine countries in the MENA region, including Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Palestine, Mauritania, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, and Libya. Women entrepreneurs at various stages of their journey are encouraged to apply to one of three categories. The New Venture Category is designed for early-stage entrepreneurs with innovative ideas aimed at overcoming financial barriers or… read more

12 March 2025, Barcelona – The Union for the Mediterranean and Interreg NEXT MED, the largest EU-funded transnational cooperation programme promoting socioeconomic development and environmental initiatives in the Mediterranean Basin, have reached an agreement formally extending collaboration between both parties for at least another three years. The Memorandum of Understanding, which highlights how both Euro-Mediterranean institutions strive to reinforce political, socioeconomic, and cultural ties in the region, was signed by UfM Secretary General Nasser Kamel and Director General of the Interreg NEXT MED Programme Giovanna Medde. The agreement, significantly, foresees mutual participation in events and conferences and, when relevant, extends… read more

13-14 March 2025, Marseille, France. Can the ancient building techniques of the Mediterranean help tackle today’s climate challenges? The UfM Field Visits: Traditional Building Skills event, held in Marseille on 13-14 March 2025, explored how heritage-based construction methods can provide sustainable solutions for the future. The two-day event brought together experts, educators, and policymakers from Morocco and Tunisia to examine successful programmes that integrate traditional building skills into certified training schemes. These efforts aim to enhance sustainable construction, create skilled employment opportunities, and reinforce heritage protection. Traditional building methods offer valuable lessons for climate adaptation and mitigation. Many Euro-Mediterranean countries… read more